Pilot Shortage, UK's Worst Short-haul Airline, Air Taxi Certification and More
Aviation news brief today
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Here are the exciting aviation industry updates for today. Let’s get started.
Survey ranks Wizz Air as UK's worst short-haul airline, rated worst for boarding, comfort, and punctuality
UK passengers named Wizz Air the worst short-haul airline in a survey of more than 8,000 travelers. The budget carrier received an average score of one out of five for boarding, cabin environment, and seat comfort. It's also identified as one of the least punctual airlines.
It also had one of the highest cancellation rates and was criticized for charges, including those for check-in. Jet2 and Emirates were rated the best short and long-haul airlines, respectively. Read more
Volocopter makes progress toward air taxi certification for 2025 Expo Osaka Kansai
German aircraft manufacturer, Volocopter, is working towards making its VoloCity air taxi available for use at the 2025 Expo Osaka Kansai, and this week made progress with new investments and certification.
Japanese electronics giant, Sumitomo Corp, has invested in the company as part of its Series E funding round and has become a key strategic partner for entry into the Japanese market. Additionally, the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau has accepted Volocopter’s application for concurrent type certification for its VoloCity air taxi, which allows the fully electric air taxi to fly commercially in Japan.
Volocopter plans to unveil a full-scale static model of the VoloCity air taxi for the first time in Osaka, Japan, in March to increase public awareness of air taxis and gain momentum in public acceptance of the eVTOL aircraft. Read more
Cyprus Airways taps into the power of AI with FLYR’s revenue management solution
FLYR Labs, a travel industry innovator in decision intelligence and revenue optimization, has signed a strategic agreement with Cyprus Airways to provide its AI-based revenue management solution to the flag carrier of Cyprus.
FLYR’s solution feeds all historical, competitive, and ongoing data into deep learning algorithms to determine the optimal pricing strategy, enabling Cyprus Airways to dynamically optimize revenue 24/7 while keeping an eye on market developments. The airline will also use FLYR’s ancillary revenue management suite to generate and forecast optimal, dynamic selling points for a la carte products.
As AI adoption grows in the aviation industry, digital-first airlines harness data to move beyond reliance on historical trends and adopt dynamic pricing and hyper-informed commercial decisions. Read more
Which are the busiest international routes in the Asia Pacific region in Feb 2023?
Airwaysmag has published the Asia-Pacific region's busiest international routes for February 2023. The data shows the most popular route was Kuala Lumpur (KUL) to Singapore Changi (SIN), followed by Seoul Incheon (ICN) to Osaka Kansai (KIX) and Bangkok (BKK) to Seoul Incheon (ICN).
The top three operators are Malaysian Airlines (MH), AirAsia (AK), and Singapore Airlines (SQ). The analysis used information from the OAG database, Cirium, Flights.com, Flightaware, IATA, and ICAO datasets. Read more
American Airlines adopts virtual reality (VR) to upskill its painting workforce, also a more sustainable and cost-effective solution
AkzoNobel Aerospace Coatings has partnered with American Airlines to train apprentice painters and upskill existing teams using virtual reality (VR) technology. The system offers a more efficient and sustainable training process than traditional methods.
The VR headset immerses trainees in a virtual paint booth with an aircraft part to be coated, which can be programmed with various paint specifications. The system offers immediate feedback, helping trainees to become more consistent and avoid common problems. For American Airlines, a specific part of the aircraft was programmed into the system, allowing for training without using real paint. Read more
New proposed bills could see bumped passengers paid up to $1,350
Two proposed bills, the “Airline Passengers’ Bill of Rights” and “Forbidding Airlines from Imposing Ridiculous (FAIR) Fees Act,” aim to protect passengers' rights and level the playing field between consumers and airlines.
The bills would ensure that travelers bumped from a plane receive at least $1,350 in compensation. It would also prohibit airlines from capping compensation to passengers who relinquish their seats and encourage airlines to provide cash payments to passengers who voluntarily give up their seats.
The bills also address refunds and compensation for delays and cancellations, shrinking seats, transparency, protecting basic humanity on planes, consumers’ rights to pursue claims against airlines, lack of competition in the industry, and DOT's enforcement against the industry. Read more
GAMA reports a 6.5% YoY increase in aircraft shipments for 2022
The General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) has reported a year-over-year increase in aircraft shipments, with 2,818 turbine and piston planes delivered in 2022 compared to 2,658 in 2019.
However, total aircraft billings were slightly lower at $22.866bn versus $23.515bn in 2019. GAMA's president and CEO, Pete Bunce, said the industry faced various challenges, including workforce gaps, supply chain issues, and the need to innovate for a sustainable future.
The report revealed that the Pilatus PC-12 was the most delivered single-engine turboprop in 2022, with 80 units shipped, followed by Daher's 73 total units and Textron Aviation's 71. Read more
The future of air travel: will the pilot shortage ground the industry?
Aviation industry expert Gediminas Ziemelis has warned that a predicted pilot shortage of 300,000 significantly impacts airlines globally. The shortage is due to a range of factors, including a seniority-based system that means pilots progress through the ranks, the retirement system causing shortages, and a shrinking pool of trained pilots.
The pilot shortage has led to canceled or delayed flights, and airlines have struggled to maintain their aircraft in the sky despite the increased air travel demand. Suggestions to address the shortage include increasing pilot training programs, partnering with flight schools for cadet programs, and offering more significant compensation packages, although such measures may reduce net returns. Read more
Flying green: start-ups and industry giants alike explore hydrogen power for aircraft
Start-ups and industry giants in the aviation industry are exploring ways to use clean hydrogen to power aircraft and achieve net-zero emissions. Start-ups such as ZeroAvia are developing technology to convert small and medium-sized aircraft to hydrogen fuel, while industry incumbents Airbus and Rolls-Royce are exploring larger-scale options.
Progress is visible for both approaches, with ZeroAvia testing a 19-seat aircraft powered by a fuel cell, while Rolls-Royce and Airbus have successfully tested hydrogen-powered engines. Hydrogen fuel could make up 32% of the aviation industry by 2050, according to a study by the Energy Transition Commission. Read more
Airbus' longest-range single-aisle jet set to revolutionize transatlantic travel
Airbus has confirmed plans to increase its monthly aircraft production rate to 65 by the end of 2024 and 75 by 2026 as it progresses towards the entry-into-service of the A321XLR in Q2 2024. The A321XLR, which has completed its first flight, will have an extra-long range of up to 4,700 nautical miles while maintaining the fuel efficiency of the A321LR.
This will enable airlines to operate single-aisle aircraft on longer, less-traveled routes, reducing costs and increasing efficiency. The A321XLR will be operational with several airlines, including Qantas Airways, American Airlines, United, and Air Arabia. Read more
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